Click here to pay up all your kibud or yiskor pledges and outstanding membership. Thank you to all of our supporters!!!

BIKUR CHOLIM: Mr. Zev (William) Oster is in Windsor Care and in need of visitors mainly to help him put tefilin on. He is a lefty and does not have his own pair of tefilin there. Please text/call Malkiel Gradon 323-206-0127 so we can schedule it properly. Address: ‎3533 Motor Ave. 90034. Room 120b. Tizku lmitzvos.

SAVE THE DATE: The award-winning documentary "The Lost Key" by Manis Friedman is premiering at a very special National Jewish Premiere Movie Night for Women in Los Angeles 3 Shevat/January 13. Please save the date--more details to follow. Sponsored by the Lubavitch Shidduch Network of Los Angeles.

SAVE THE DATE: Sunday, 7 Shevat/January 17, 6 pm at Chabad Persian Youth, an evening of inspiration and reflection in honor of the 1st Yahrzeit of Rabbi Ariel Rav-Noy ob”m. Click here for more info.

Mr. & Mrs. Ariel Haratz for the yahrtzeit of Mrs. Elisa Haratz’s father Reb Mordechai ben Reb Yaakov ob"m. May the neshomo have an aliya.

Rabbi & Mrs. Simcha Bart in honor of Rabbi Simcha Bart’s birthday. May he have a shnas hatzlocho begashmiyus ubruchniyus.
Also for the yahrtzeit of Rabbi Simcha Bart’s father Reb Mordechai ben Reb Yechezkel ob"m. May the neshomo have an aliya.

Rabbi & Mrs. Zev Geisinsky in honor of Rabbi Zev Geisinsky’s birthday. May he have a shnas hatzlocho begashmiyus ubruchniyus.

Rabbi & Mrs. Zali Munitz in honor of Rabbi Zali Munitz’s birthday. May he have a shnas hatzlocho begashmiyus ubruchniyus.
Also in honor of the birthdays of their triplets Dina, Rivkah and Yitzchak Yosef. May they have a shnas hatzlocho begashmiyus ubruchniyus.

Preparing for Yud Shevat:
How Important is having a Connection and Leaning Chassidus
to Me and to You?
By Rabbi Shimon Raichik

We are continuing from last week's article where we reviewed some of the history of the Rebbe's involvement in transcribing and editing his Sichos and Maamarim. According to the Rebbe's directive every week bachurim would visit various shuls and review Chassidus. There was a list posted in 770 detailing each bachur and the location to visit. Afterwards a detailed accounting of what occurred, a duch was prepared and sent in to the Rebbe.

In the late 1950's two bachurim (who later became two Head Shluchim in different countries Rav Nachman Sudak to England and Rav Laibel Raskin to Morocco) wanted a Sicha edited by the Rebbe to give out to the bachurin to use in preparation for their visits to the various shuls. When they approached Rav Hadakov he reminded them that the Rebbe had said that he wouldn't edit Sichos because he was too busy with matters of pikuach nefesh. They answered clearly and without hesitation that an edited Sicha for a Chosid is a matter of pikuach nefesh. Rav Hadakov went in and told the Rebbe what they had said. The Rebbe answered that if so he should give him the Sicha to edit. The Rebbe continued editing and from these edited Sichos we have the basis of the first 4 volumes of Likutei Sichos. This editing process ended in the early 1960’s.

In the late 1960’s Rav Bentzion Shemtov founded the organization Vaad L’Hafatzas Sichos for the purpose of disseminating the Rebbe’s Sichos and Maamarim. He set up a printing press and a mimeograph and began mass distribution to the public as well as a list of Rabbonim from the first four volumes of Likutei Sichos. After 2 ½ years the supply of the previously edited Sichos was finished. He had new Sichos prepared and brought before the Rebbe for editing. This continued for 2 years. On Simchas Torah 5732-1971 the Rebbe announced that he was discontinuing the editing because people were not learning the Sichos. He said that it was if the Chassidim were ‘doing him a favor’ by learning a quote here and there but they weren't really involved. A year later he began to edit again and soon thereafter Sichos appeared in Hebrew for the first time (found in volumes 10-14 of Likutei Sichos). After 2 years this also came to an end.

In 5736-1975 the Rebbe began once again editing for another 2 years up until 5738. There were those who thought that the Rebbe would stop in order to avoid making a chazaka of three straight years of editing as before. That Shmini Atzeres the Rebbe suffered a heart attack by hakafos. Later, while in bed connected to machines the Rebbe asked; “Where are the Sichos (to edit)?” He continued to edit while in bed recovering from the heart attack. Also on Motzoi Shabbos each week he spoke and then edited the Sichos. The Rebbe continued to edit Likutei Sichos uninterrupted throughout the years until the last week before his stroke during the week of Parshas V’Yakel 5752-1992.

We learn from this history the great importance the Rebbe placed on editing and publishing the Sichos and Maamarim. The Rebbe put so much time and energy into the editing, time that would have been used for pikuach nefesh, saving lives, because to us we need Chassidus just like pikuach nefeash.

As we draw near to Yud Shevat and prepare ourselves, we need to ask ourselves; how important is learning the Sichos and Maamarim of the Rebbe to me? Is it important to my family, my friends, my community and the world at large? It really is as we see from this history, but are we aware and prepared for Yud Shevat in this way, that my life depends on Chassidus and having a connection with the Rebbe? Now is a great time to make a resolution for Yud Shevat (not for the secular new year!) to learn Sichos and Maamarim well every week.

Rav Pinchas Teitz from Elizabeth, NJ, would make trips to Russia in the years before Glasnost. Once while in Moscow in the 1970’s, during the years when people feared arrest and secret agents were everywhere he heard a quiet voice calling out to him as he passed by. He heard; “A Maamar” being whispered and turned to see a chosid. He asked him; “What do you want from me”. He said; “A Maamar”. He didn’t understand so the man explained. “You came from America and you don’t have a maamar of the Rebbe? Improvising from a saying of Pirkei Avos that with one utterance (Maamar) Hashem could have created (l’hebaros) the entire world he said: Don’t you know that one 'Maamar' of the Rebbe can make someone healthy (l’hebaros also means to become healthy)? To this Chosid, his life depended on Chassidus so much so that he risked his own safety just to get hold of one Maamar.

Each one of us can take a lesson in our connection to the Rebbe and to Chassidus before Yud Shevat. Through our good resolutions and through our preparations may we witness the complete revelation of Moshiach before Yud Shevat.

Click here to pay up all your kibud or yiskor pledges and outstanding membership. Thank you to all of our supporters!!!

BIKUR CHOLIM: Mr. Zev (William) Oster is in Windsor Care and in need of visitors mainly to help him put tefilin on. He is a lefty and does not have his own pair of tefilin there. Please text/call Malkiel Gradon 323-206-0127 so we can schedule it properly. Address: ‎3533 Motor Ave. 90034. Room 120b. Tizku lmitzvos.

TEHILLIM: Please say tehillim for Nachum ben Perl.

SAVE THE DATE: Sunday, 22 Teves/Jan 3, 8 pm in shul. The Chassidic initiative - Someone will present, for 30 minutes or so, a basic subject in Chassidus Chabad in a manner that will both clarify what you already know and will show new insights in the subject that you may have not been aware of. More details to follow.

This week in honor of Hei Teves we had a special lecture and powerpoint presentation in Shul from Rav Chaim Shaul Brook, the Editor of the Toras Menachem series in Hebrew. His presentation covered the process of the Rebbe’s involvement in editing and publishing his Sichos and Maamarim. It was striking to see just how many hours went in and how comprehensive and detailed the process was.

At first the Rebbe did not edit his Sichos and Maamarim. At first they were printed unedited, mostly the work of Rabbi Yoel Kahn, the bachurim and transcriptions from tape recordings. The first three edited items were Maamarim. They were: Basi L’Gani 5711-1951, the Rebbe’s first Maamar given on Yud Shevat; Yosheves B’Ganim 5711-1951, the Rebbe’s Yud Gimmel Shevat Maamar and, Basi L’Gani 5712-1952 the Rebbe’s second Yud Shevat Maamar.

The Chassidim begged for more edited Sichos and Maamarim but the Rebbe declined. The reason he gave was that he was too busy with pikuach nefesh, saving lives. This means that he was too busy with his answers, involvement and guidance to those seeking help with medical needs etc.

While I was in France in 1975 as a bachur on shlichus I spoke with Reb Nisan Neminov the Mashpia in the yeshiva about this issue. Reb Nisan said that once in the early 1950’s Chassidim begged him that during his upcoming yechidus in New York he request that the Rebbe edit the Sichos and Maamarim. He said he didn’t feel like asking but the ‘olam’ pressed him to the point that he agreed to ask. The Rebbe’s answer was that there are so many hours in a day. There are people who are waiting for an answer before they undergo an operation or enter into a business. They hold off on critical issues regarding their children and their families. They will not act without my advice. Their neshamos depend (in the original; its ‘nogea b’nefesh) on the answers they await. On the other hand I do not see that having the Sichos and Maamarim edited is as nogea b’nefesh to those who are asking for them as those waiting for these answers. It’s a question in Halacha.

In the winter of 5714-1953 the Rebbe held a fabrengen upstairs in the small Beis Midrash. Since it was a small group, people were asking for personal brachos as they were making l’chaim. When Reb Moshe Dubinsky came before the Rebbe he requested another edited Maamar. The Rebbe asked him if he knew the ones that were already printed. He said yes. That winter he edited Basi L’Gani 5713-1953. It was printed 5714-1954. When they brought the printed Maamar the Rebbe instructed Rav Hadakov to give a copy to Reb Moshe Dubinsky saying that he was ‘involved’ in it’s printing.

In the 1950’s the Rebbe instructed people to start learning Sichos and Maamarim by heart and that the bachurim would go to out to shuls to deliver Sichos and Maamarim by heart. Someone avoided learning by heart saying that he couldn’t do it because his ‘head wasn’t clear’. The Rebbe responded by saying that although he knew all the politics in Washington very clearly, no one, neither the President nor the Congress is going to ask him for opinions. Nevertheless this is where his mind is, with a very detailed understanding of all the political angles of current events, and he says that he cannot learn a maamar by heart? If it’s important, it’s possible.

On the 6th of Tishrei 5725-1964 the Rebbe’s mother passed away. In his mother’s memory the Rebbe planned on holding a fabrengen every Shabbos, which had not yet been customary. This is also when the Rebbe began saying Rashi Sichos in his mother’s memory. One Shabbos as the Rebbe was delivering a Rashi Sicha he noticed people sleeping. He said that he had been up all night involved in that Rashi and asked why they were not involved as well. The Rebbe wanted that people should learn, review and be involved in the learning.

Many times after fabrengens there were questions raised that remained unanswered. The Rebbe would ask why people weren’t writing in to ask for the answers. Learning and absorbing is an integral part of being a Chosid of the Rebbe.

We are now within 30 days of Yud Shevat. We prepare ourselves by learning and delving into Sichos and Maamarim of the Rebbe. By getting involved we are connected. To be continued.

Click here to pay up all your kibud or yiskor pledges and outstanding membership. Thank you to all of our supporters!!!

BIKUR CHOLIM: Mr. Zev (William) Oster is in Windsor Care and in need of visitors mainly to help him put tefilin on. He is a lefty and does not have his own pair of tefilin there. Please text/call Malkiel Gradon 323-206-0127 so we can schedule it properly. Address: ‎3533 Motor Ave. 90034. Room 120b. Tizku lmitzvos.

TEHILLIM: Please say tehillim for Nachum ben Perl.

SUNDAY: Sunday, 8 Teves/Dec 20, 8 pm in shul. Slideshow presentation by Rabbi C.S. Brook from Vaad Hanochos Be’lahak - A Rare glimpse into the way the Rebbe was magia sichos. Click here for more info.

Rabbi & Mrs. Shalom Elharrar in honor of Rabbi Shalom Elharrar’s birthday. May he have a shnas hatzlocho begashmiyus ubruchniyus.

Mr. Betzalel Fleischman in honor of his birthday. May he have a shnas hatzlocho begashmiyus ubruchniyus. Also for the yahrtzeit of his mother Perel bas Reb Naftoli ob"m. May the neshomo have an aliya.

Rabbi & Mrs. Yossi Schneerson in honor of Rabbi Yossi Schneerson’s birthday. May he have a shnas hatzlocho begashmiyus ubruchniyus. Also in honor of their son Aaron’s birthday. May he have a shnas hatzlocho begashmiyus ubruchniyus.

Rabbi & Mrs. Shmuel Stroll in honor of their anniversary. May they have many more happy years together. Also for the yahrtzeit of Rabbi Shmuel Stroll’s mother Tsharna Gittel bas Reb Yaakov ob"m. May the neshomo have an aliya.

Once by a fabrengen Rabbi Naftali Estulin related a question he was asked about not taking off time from Avodas Hashem. The person first said that we serve Hashem around the clock 24/7 365 days a year. He then asked; what would be so terrible if I took a little vacation here and there to do whatever I feel like doing, just to have a good time?

Why does a person feel a need to get out and get loose? It really depends on perception. What does Torah and mitzvos look like? Does it look like one restriction piled on top of another? This is especially true for Lubavitchers who have even more restrictions! Whether it’s the restrictions of food having to be cholov Yisroel and pas Yisroel year round or not being able to even trim our beards or saying the entire Tehillim on Shabbos Mevarchim, it looks like a lot of restrictions. Once someone said to me; Hey Rabbi you don’t let me live!

On the other hand there is a completely different much better way to see things. We can see the Torah and mitzvos for what they really are, an amazing opportunity and joy to be able to do something for Hashem, my Father my King. Once by a fabrengen the Rebbe told a story told of a conversation he had with a diamond dealer who came for advice in keeping Torah and mitzvos. The Rebbe asked him about his trade, how diamonds are sized and rated, how much a ½ carat diamond weighs, then a 1 carat stone then 2 carats etc. The Rebbe then asked how could a person possibly want to wear a large high carat stone if it would be so much heavier than a small low carat one. The man replied that when it’s a diamond it’s never too heavy to carry. So too with mitzvos, every mitzvah is another diamond. It’s all a matter of perspective. If it’s seen as restrictions then you’ll want the day off. If it’s seen for what it really is, an opportunity for the neshama, then you’ll wait with anticipation to do a mitzvah and always want another opportunity to do even more.

At a fabrengen for Shabbos Mevarchim Tammuz 1980 the Rebbe answered someone’s question of what the big deal is if he misses one time Tehillim on Shabbos Mevarchim. The Rebbe explained that it’s like food for the neshama. It’s like someone telling you that you have already been eating for 50, 60 years and then suggests that you take a week off from eating. Anyone who would hear such an idea would think the man is meshugena! What’s the fact that he ate for 50, 60 years got to do with right now? Today he needs to eat if he wants to survive. This is true for the neshama also; it needs the Torah and mitzvos today. We know the teaching of the Baal Shem Tov that Hashem is constantly renewing the creation. Because of this we need to constantly draw down a new, better and more revealed connection with Hashem. This new month is being recreated from nothing. This month needs also it’s own avodah of Tehillim.

This is also like the brachos we say over mitzvos; “Asher kidshanu b’mitzvosav”. Don’t read just that He sanctified us, but also “asher”, that we have oisher, joy, pleasure for the mitzvah with which He sanctifies us.

On Tu bShvat 5739 the Rebbe brought the mashal of hide and seek for galus. As long as the son searches for his father he does not become too complacent or too comfortable. Once he makes peace and gives up his search then it’s a double galus. As long as were uncomfortable with any distance from Hashem then we are still alive. If we always feel like we are missing something and we always want to be closer to the Rebbe and to mitzvos then we are filled with desire, otherwise it’s dry. In order to keep feeling, to stay alive and to keep growing we need Chassidus. It gives us the life to bring into every mitzvah and constantly bring us closer to coming of Moshiach Now!

Upon the Rebbe's instructions, Chassidim have a tradition of celebrating the 5th Teves not only with Chassidic gatherings but also with purchasing seforim, since the real victory for the seforim is when we fill our homes with volumes of Jewish books, and our days with their teachings.

To facilitate following the Rebbe's instruction, Chabad Atara's will be open today/tonight till 10:00 pm. Seforim will be discounted!

We therefore encourage all of Anash to join together at Chabad/Atara's to fulfill this special tradition.

Click here to pay up all your kibud or yiskor pledges and outstanding membership. Thank you to all of our supporters!!!

BIKUR CHOLIM: Mr. Zev (William) Oster is in Windsor Care and in need of visitors mainly to help him put tefilin on. He is a lefty and does not have his own pair of tefilin there. Please text/call Malkiel Gradon 323-206-0127 so we can schedule it properly. Address: ‎3533 Motor Ave. 90034. Room 120b. Tizku lmitzvos.

TEHILLIM: Please say tehillim for Nachum ben Perl.

MIVTZAH CHANUKAH: The shul will iy”h have Mivtzah Chanukah supplies for those who would like to fulfill the Rebbes wishes. Please come by to pick up Menoros, Guides or candles.

CHANUKAH FARBRENGENS: A Farbrengen will take place IY”H every night of Chanukah in our Shul beginning @ 9:30 PM with a guest speaker & a sponsor to be announced.

Rabbi & Mrs. Ari Goldman in honor of Rabbi Ari Goldman’s birthday. May he have a shnas hatzlocho begashmiyus ubruchniyus. Also in honor of Mrs. Mirale Goldman’s birthday. May she have a shnas hatzlocho begashmiyus ubruchniyus.

Reb Chonye Grossman in honor of his birthday. May he have a shnas hatzlocho begashmiyus ubruchniyus.

Mr. & Mrs. Michael Zaghi in honor of Mr. Michael Zaghi’s birthday. May he have a shnas hatzlocho begashmiyus ubruchniyus.

Happy Chanukah. The Chanukah candles are specifically lit so that they last past dusk and then into the night. Their purpose is to illuminate the darkness and therefore (originally) placed on the doorpost facing outward spreading the Chanukah light into the street.

The Chanukah candles represent the lighting of the Menorah is the only activity from the Beis HaMikdash that we still practice today. If they represent the Menorah then why is it that we light the Chanukah candles on the doorpost facing outward around dusk while the Menorah was lit midday well inside the Beis HaMikdash?

Chassidus explains that the candles of Chanukah are special in that they have the power to transform darkness into light. What led up to the miracle of Chanukah? It began with the Greeks contaminating the oils. The Greeks were trying to send the Jews a message: to deny the existence of a higher power. In their thinking there is no difference between spiritual purity and impurity or a connection to Hashem through mitzvos. To make their point they brought impurity into Hashem’s home. This brought the Jews to the point of mesirus nefesh. They entered into a seemingly senseless unwinnable war. A few Jews fighting against an entire Greek army is a seemingly impossible equation. Nevertheless, the neshama coalesced; the neshama spoke above and beyond the fear and the hopelessness of their circumstances. The Jews (Macabees) said; “I am with Hashem, Hashem is with me. I will not allow the contamination of the Bais HaMikdash in Yerushalayim, Eir HaKodesh.”

With that mesirus nefesh, Hashem showed through that small group, the few against the many, the weak against the strong, that they would be victorious. Through their mesirus nefesh Hashem brought the miracle of the 8 days of Chanukah, beyond nature.

This is why we do the mitzvah of the Chanukah candles in the most beautiful way; mehadrin min hamehadrin. Each person continuously lights an additional candle each night. We also make sure that not just one person per household but every household member, even small children lights the menorah adding a candle each night. This is an expression of our very essence, and it brings out our true essence. From the simplest to the greatest, we are all connected. We are not afraid of the world.

Today, the world once again is in a situation that is similar to the Greek- Syrian war. Terrible things happen when people disregard or make light of the power of prayer. The overarching sentiment of world leaders today is that they, not Hashem, are in control. They feel that only through gun control and climate control will the world be a safer place. The point is that they think that they alone are the ones in control. Once again, as in the times of Chanukah, we are here to remind the world that Hashem, not they are in control and our job is to spread the illumination of the Chanukah candles to every corner of the darkness of this world. By being dedicated to our connection with Hashem and his guidance through Torah and mitzvos without any fear or hopelessness, just as the Maccabees, may we merit the ultimate illumination of darkness with the revelation of Moshiach Now!

Click here to pay up all your kibud or yiskor pledges and outstanding membership. Thank you to all of our supporters!!!

BIKUR CHOLIM: Mr. Zev (William) Oster is in Windsor Care and in need of visitors mainly to help him put tefilin on. He is a lefty and does not have his own pair of tefilin there. Please text/call Malkiel Gradon 323-206-0127 so we can schedule it properly. Address: ‎3533 Motor Ave. 90034. Room 120b. Tizku lmitzvos.

TEHILLIM: Please say tehillim for Nachum ben Perl.

MIVTZAH CHANUKAH: The shul will iy”h have Mivtzah Chanukah supplies for those who would like to fulfill the Rebbes wishes. Please come by to pick up Menoros, Guides or candles.

Mr. & Mrs. Zechariah Davidson in honor of Mr. Zechariah Davidson’s birthday. May he have a shnas hatzlocho begashmiyus ubruchniyus. Also in in honor of their son Moshe’s birthday. May he have a shnas hatzlocho begashmiyus ubruchniyus.

Rabbi & Mrs. Meir Schmukler in honor of their daughter Basya Perl. May she and the entire community be blessed with kol tuv se’ela.

Rabbi & Mrs. Yosef Shagalov in honor of Rabbi Yosef Shagalov’s birthday. May he have a shnas hatzlocho begashmiyus ubruchniyus.

The Continuation of Yud Tes Kislev:
It’s During the Darkest Moments that We Can and Must Focus
on What Brings the Light of the Geula!By Rabbi Shimon Raichik

The Tuesday of this past week was Yud Tes Kislev, the Rosh Hashana of Chassidus. The Alter Rebbe said that on Yud Tes Kislev the gates of heaven are open that he sanctified Yud Tes Kislev like Yom Kippur. Once the Tzemach Tzedek treated Yud Tes Kislev like Simchas Torah. All in all one can find the entire Tishrei within the Yom Tov of Yud Tes Kislev, which is also called Chag HaChagim. Yud Tes Kislev is also called a “Moed Tamidi- A constant Yom Tov” by the Alter Rebbe, which means that we can take it with us throughout the entire year.

On Yud Tes Kislev we begin learning the Tanya over again. The Alter Rebbe also gave another title to the Tanya; Sefer Shel Benonim. What is a benoni? A benoni is someone who isn’t yet able to overcome his yetzer hara but is still in full control. He never allows the yetzer hara to get in the driver’s seat, in thought speech or action. This definition sounds like what most people define as a tzaddik, some who did not nor will do an aveira. Rav Hillel of Paritch said once that before he learned the Tanya he thought he was a tzaddik. Once he learned the Tanya he said that he only wishes at best that he would be a benoni. How can this be? Rav Hillel was the best of the best, he was known as a half a Rebbe because he was on such a high level. And he wishes that at best that he would be a benoni? Where does that leave you and me? What chance do we have? (Once someone said about himself that he only wishes at best that he would be considered a rasha v’tov lo, meaning that he wishes that at least would have all the regrets that the Alter Rebbe describes for a rasha v’tov lo.)

In Igros Kodesh we find that the Rebbe’s answer to many questions is to learn the beginning of perek mem-alef by heart and to internalize that Hashem is standing above us and watching, and how we can and should have kobbolas ol etc. Nevertheless some feel that the Alter Rebbe is speaking about a benoni and that he isn’t a benoni and therefore it does not and cannot apply to him. With such an attitude, where will we end up? The same applies if he’s down and the Rebbe suggested that he learn perek 26 to overcome the sadness. If he feels disqualified because he’s not a benoni, then how will he be able to connect with the Tanya in a way that he internalizes it and uses it in his own life and his own avodah in a meaningful way?

The Rebbe once said that every moment (and from moment to moment) we have a choice to live like a benoni for that moment. The awe of Yom Kippur affects the tzaddik as well as the average Jew. For both it’s the same matzah. The Rebbe is saying that we have a focus, we have a choice; NOT the previous generation of 40 or 30, 20 or even 10 years ago, not someone from another town or even someone standing nearby, rather each one of US, today, right now! We can choose this, it only requires learning, internalizing and applying what we learn in a meaningful way into our personal lives.

When the Rebbe began printing the Igros Kodesh, he asked who was learning them. The answer was that bachurim are learning them. The Rebbe answered; “Yes, but what about the people with kapotos?” Learning doesn’t just mean reading the Igros Kodesh, it means to be guided in life by them; it means taking the Rebbe’s guidance and choosing to live our life accordingly. That’s what the Rebbe wants us to do. It’s only then that our life is not abstract and our learning is not theoretical. Then it’s real and it’s alive. This is what the Yom Tov of Yud Tes Kislev gives to each one of us, here today. This is our real and living focus. On Yud Tes Kislev we make this our central motivation that we take with us throughout the entire year. Yud Tes Kislev the Chag Hageula of the Alter Rebbe also gives us the strength to keep our focus on doing our part to bringing the geula today.